Drying and tumbling apparatus



May 30, 1950 r D. FORSE 2,509,755

DRYING AND TUMBLING APPARATUS Filed June 24. 1946 s Sheets-Sheet BY y-7%ATTORNEY.

H. D. F ORSE DRYING AND TUMBLING APPARATUS May 30, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed June 24, 1946 MW 0 f/asi 'ENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

May 30, 1950 H. D. FORSE 2,509,765

DRYING AND TUMBLING APPARATUS Filed June 24. 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 6fiyK'ENTOR.

4 BY $74k.

A TTORNEY.

Patented May 30, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- 8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvement in dry ing and tumblingapparatus,which apparatus is especially adaptable for. use in commercial laundriesor like establishments where the material, such as clothes, to be driedis customarily brought to and taken from the drier in nets, bags orother suitable containers.

A procedure followed in some laundries and like establishments is tosort each.customers bundle as it is received, place the articles of eachclassification in a container, such as a net, and then dispatch thenetted articles to variou departments for suitable processing, afterwhich the several classifications are reassembled for inspection,checking and packaging. The processing work in some of the departmentsmay be carried out without removing the articles fromtheir containers.But in. other departments, as for instance, drying and tumbling, thearticles must be removed from their containers. Consequently, at thetermination of the processing operation, the articles mustbe returned totheir container. This returning of the articles to the container fromsome of the present day drying andtumbling equipment isoften along.drawn out,,piece by piece removal. Quite often some. ofthe articlesare'not recovered and, therefore, become intermingled with anothercustomersarticles in a succeeding run. This loss orintermingling of articles. results in considerable time. being spent searchingforlostarticles and tends to create ill will if the customers bundle.isdelivered with substitute articles or if some of thearticles aremissing.

Some of the tumblers now in. use are provided with a centrallylocateddoor. through. which clothes are deposited in and'removed fromthe driercylinder.

Devices ofthis kind are readily and easily loaded- The open endiof thenet or container is inserted-in the door opening and the bottom ofthenet is thenelevated to. empty the net. However, removingthe articlesfrom the tumbler is an entirelydiiferent matter. This operationisusually carried outby. an operator blindly groping or feelingaround in.the darkened tumbler for the various articles. Any attempt on the partof the operator to visually inspect the interior of the tumbler merelyputs the operator between the source of outside light and the interiorof thedevice, thereby reducing visibility. Moreover, even thoughlighting i provided for the interior ofthe device,.the task oimanuallyremoving. the articles. is laborious and time consuming. Additionally,the complete emptyingof the tumbler is entirely dependent upon thecapriciousness, whimsey or fallibility of an operator;

Accordingly one of the principal objects of. advantage and importance"of the improved drier of this invention resides in the provision ofmeans for economically constructing an-efficient, sturdy and dependabledevice which may be easily loaded and unloaded and which may be visuallyin spectedinteriorly thereof when in unloading'position.

Another object of advantage and importanceis the provision of means foragitating or tumbling clothes or other articles when positioned withinthe. improved drier and of utilizinga currentoi heated air to assist inthe tumbling and agitat-iingoperation. i

Still another object of.importance is the pro+ vision of means for.supporting the-door of the drier. inn. horizontalposition to. functionas. a receiving table forarticles abouttobe loadedinto the device, andof loadingsthe articles. within the drier by merely movingthedoorthereof.to closed position.

A still further objectofimportance. and ad vantage is the-provisionofmeans for unloading the drier by openin .thedoor whereuponthe articlesupportinginterior. surface of thedrier is con currently movedinto aposition=closely adjacent the door opening where -it. may be. visuallyinspected byanoperator;

A further object'of importance is the. provision of meansforfacilitating thesacking or. netting of articles removed from the:drier.

Anradditional object. of. advantage and..importance is-rthe. provisionof power means for un loadingthe improved. drier as well as foropena ingand=closing the loading door. Moreover the movement ofthe-door to openor closed. positions is synchronized with and is in ratio to.the.=move.- mentof the conveyor to and-from its operative position.

Still another andiurther. object of advantage and importance is the.provision of meansyfor automatically disconnecting the. power supplyline. to the tumbling and agitating means concurrently with theapplication of power for emptying the improved device.

Additional objects of advantage and importanceswill become apparent asthe following detailed description-progresses, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a front elevational viewof a drying and tumbling. apparatus. which. embodies the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section thereof;

Figure 3'is a sectional view'of'a' fragmental portion of the apparatustaken on line 3-45 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is an elevational view of a portion of the apparatus with thedoor thereof in open position.

Figure 6 is a View showing diagrammatically, the electric circuits forcontrolling the operation of the improved apparatus.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral asindicates generally the body of an illustrative embodiment of theinvention. Ihe illustrated body as comprises a substantially rectangularshell having a relatively flat front surface I! in which a utilityopening I2 is formed. The height of the opening l2 may be varied asdesired but the width thereof is preferably coextensive with the widthof the interior of the body Ill, as is best shown by the dotted lines I3in Figure 1, for reasons hereinafter more fully disclosed. Adjustableports I4 located adjacent the top and bottom of the body Ill andconnected by link I9 provide means for controlling the admission of dryair into and the expulsion of wet air from the interior of the body.

Hinged as at to the front surface ll of the body is a closure member 46which in closed position covers the utility opening 52 and in openposition, as is best shown in Figure 5, provides a receiving platformfor material to be loaded into or expelled from the body it. The centralportion of the closure member is is deformed to provide a recess H intowhich articles of clothes positioned on the horizontal closure l5 tendto gravitate. The bottom of the recess I! is cut away and opposed sideedges of the aperture are turned to form flanges 18 which slidablysupport a panel member 20. A handle 2| secured to the panel member 283provides a means for operating that member to open and close theaperture in the bottom of the recess 11.

Secured to the flanges H3 in spaced relation is a plurality of securinghooks to which a net 23 or the like, may be detachably secured. The rearhooks 22 are preferably formed and positioned to disengage from the netupon the upward rotation of the closure member H5.

Hingedly secured to the upper portion of the closure member i5 is a pairof supporting legs 25 which upon downward rotation of the closure memberprovide a supporting abutment for the free end of that member. Upon theupward movement of the closure member if; to its open ing closingposition the legs 25 swing inwardly paralleling the surface of theclosure member as is best shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Hingedly secured to the interior surface of the closure member I6 is aformed apron member 26. When the closure member is in vertical positionthe apron member 25 provides a continuation for the curved interiorsurface thereof as will hereinafter more fully appear. The apron 28extends the full width of the utility opening I2 and may bear againstthe interior surfaces of the body it. The apron 25 is biased clockwiseby springs, not shown, and upon the opening of the closure l6 rotatesslightly in a clockwise direction to provide a protective barrierpreventing the overflow of articles positioned on the receivingplatform. A pawl 2! engageable with an abutment 28 functions to rotatethe apron 26 counterclockwise upon the movement of the closure IE toclosed position.

Pivotally positioned within the body ID is an endless belt conveyorindicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 3b. The conveyor 35is fixed to a shaft 3| which in turn is journalled in and extendsthrough the sides of the body Ill. The conveyor 30 comprises two sidemembers 32 positioned in spaced parallel arrangement and extendingnormally from the front lower portion of the body [0 upwardly andrearwardly, as is best shown in Figure 2 where the upper end issupported by an abutment C94. Suit able rollers 33 are operablypositioned at opposite ends of the parallel side members and span thespace therebetween. The rollers 33 carry a, pervious endless belt 35,preferably of screen or link construction, and this is driven through abelt 35, pulleys 3'5, and gear reducing unit 38 by a motor 45. Fixed toeach side member 32 is an upwardly and outwardly flared guide member 4!the free edge of which may slidably engage a side of the body I0 as isbest shown in Figure 3. The guide members 4! function to direct thematerial being processed onto the moving belt 35 of the conveyor 30.

Secured to the lower ends of the conveyor side members 32 is an apronmember 42 upon which the free edge of apron 25 rests when the apparatusis in operating position. The apron member 42 is substantially arcuatein section and functions as an abutment for and a, continuation of theapron 25 for insuring delivery of articles onto the belt 35 at the lowerend of the conveyor 35.

In the illustrative embodiment shown a shelf 43 extends rearwardly from.the lower end of the conveyor 30 and the free end thereof is supportedby standards 45. Suitably mounted upon the shelf 43 is a blower 45 and amotor 4! which are operably connected by a drive belt 48. A duct 55extends from the blower 46 upwardly and rearwardly, paralleling theconveyor 38, and terminates in an elongated nozzle 5! directly beneaththe pervious belt 35 near the upper end of the conveyor 35. A suitableheater 52 is positioned intermediate the ends of the duct 50 to heat airforced therethrough. Two spaced parallel members 53 secured to the sidemembers 32 provide a duct 55 between the upper and lower portions of theconveyor belt contiguous to the elongated nozzle 5!. The duct 55prevents the dissemination of the current which is forced upwardlythrough the upper portion of the conveyor belt 35.

Pivotally secured to the floor of the body I0 is .a pressure motor 55the piston rod 51 of which is suitably secured to the shelf 43. Thepressure motor 55 is connected to a pressure supply line 54 in which asolenoid actuated threeway control valve 59 is positioned. A normallyclosed pressure switch 54 is connected in the supply line 54 downstreamof the control valve 59. In the illustrative embodiment shown, thepressure motor 55 functions to rotate the entire conveyor unit includingthe blower 46, duct 55, and heater 52 from operating position as shownin full lines in Figure 2 to discharge position as shown in brokenlines. However, it will be apparent that the piston rod 5'! may beconnected to the conveyor 30 so that the blower, heater and duct remainstationary when the conveyor is rotated.

As previously stated the shaft 3! extends beyond the sides of the bodyIt), and secured to the protruding ends of shaft 3| and rotatabletherewith are gears 58 which through idler gears acemes '5 68drive-gears 6 I --tooperate closure member" I 5. "This gear-train; whichmaybe enclosed in'housing 62, rotates t-heelosure at-a-i-nore-rapid ratethaw-the conveyor tii is rotated, so that movement of the .-conveyorthrough its 45 degrees, i

Operation .The improyed .drieri and tumbler Of-lllhisillvention may .beoperated.substantially-as viollows:

Assume for instance that: the. device is 1 cold :and .thatthe closurein. is invvertical positionias shown in Figures. land.2. Operation isinitiated *by closing the. circuit. 613: .to .the -heater fizz-as :bydepressing the properpushibutton on .the.-con- .trol boxxfil..Eollowingthisaction, or concurrently therewith ...and. whileutheenergizedheater rcisewarming up, thecircuit i-iii r110 the. .solenoidvalve 59 is energized by operating-a second push button on the controlbox 6?. The closing of circuit-W energizes the solenoid valve fad-aridadmitsoperating-prcssure tofiow into the pressure motor 5% therebyforcing the piston rod 5'! upwardly to rotate the conveyor 36 clockwiseand through the gear train, gears 53, 50 and 6!, rotates the closure 55from its vertical position, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, to itshorizontal position as shown in Figure 5. The admission of pressure tothe downstream side of solenoid valve 59 in addition to supplyingoperating pressure to the pressure motor 55 also operates the pressureactuated cut-out switch 64 and thereby opens circuit tit. It is to benoted that provision is also made for controlling circuit 56 throughcontrol box 6?.

The closure member 55 is now in horizontal position as shown in dottedlines in Figure 2 where in it functions as a receiving platform and theconveyor 3!} is in vertical position immediately to the rear of theutility opening 12 where it may be visually inspected, as for strayarticles or the like. However, the movement of the conveyor to itsvertical position usually discharges all of the articles on the conveyoronto the descending closure member is. With the closure member H5 inthis position articles, such as garments, to be processed are depositedthereon. This may be done by emptying a net or other container onto theplatform. Now, with the platform loaded, the proper push button on thecontrol box is operated to deenergize the solenoid actuated valve 59 toexhaust lifting pressure from the pressure motor 56 whereupon theconveyor and the closure member I5 concurrently move to the full linepositions as shown in Figure 2. While this movement may be accomplishedby gravity alone it is to be understood that biasing or pressure meansmay be employed where it is so desired.

Upon the counterclockwise rotation of the conveyor and closure members,the articles on the closure slide toward the apron 26 and as the pawl 21of that member engages the abutment ZBj-the apron is rotatedtoprecipitatathe articles ontoithe ib'e'ltr35 ofwthe conveyor 30.Theapron 42 which isffixedl' to the conveyor 230 :alsowassists in:assuring proper delivery-of the articles.

-As the closure: and conveyor members :move

toward their: operating positions the push but- ..ton, on the controlbox which controlscircuitfifi "may 'be' operated: to energize :the:conveyor and blower motorsdfl and, respectively, whenx'the pressure in:the switch 66 has been reducedsui- 'ficientlyto close the circuit. Orthe operation of the push button controlling circuit 66 maybe operatedafter the closure and conveyor members reach their operating positions.

*The operation of the blower 46 nowcauses-a strong current oi'heated airto-be discharged =-from-the-nozzle 5i upwardly throughtheduct 55 andconveyor belt 35. And the operation of the conveyor 30 rotates thearticles deposited'on the lower end thereof and carries the lowermostones upwardly and rearwardly into the stream of "heated air.The-current-of heated air strips the articles from the conveyor belt andcarriesthem forwardlyandasit dissipates the articles drop upon themoving conveyor belt to continue the circulating process.

' This circulating process continues as" desired and theports l4 maybeadjusted to permitadesired dischargeof moist air from the upper' portand topermit an intake -ofdry airthrough-=the "lower port. I hus thecirculation-of -used-air may be controlled.

Atthe termination of theprocessing period the'pushbutton controllingcircuit 143 is operated to energize the solenoid orvalve-59 andas--pressure is admitted to the pressure motor 56 and pressure actuatedcut-out switch 64, circuit 66 is deenergized stopping motors 4 and 41and starting the opening movement of the conveyor and closure members.The clockwise rotation of the closure and conveyor members cause thearticles to slide over the apron 25 and onto the closure member IS. Thelength of the apron 26 and the span of the guide members 4| arecoextensive with the width of the opening l2 so that no articles remainin the body Ill or drop to the floor during the opening operation. Now,with the articles deposited on the horizontal closure member l6 and anet 23 secured to the hooks therebeneath the panel 253 may be withdrawn,as shown in Figure 5, to drop the articles into the container. After theclosure has been cleared of articles the panel 2!) is replaced and upona new batch of articles being placed upon the horizontal closure theabove operation may be repeated.

It will be apparent that herein is provided an efiicient and practicallyautomatic drier and tumbler of improved design which may be mechanicallyloaded and unloaded. Moreover the most remote article supporting portionof the device is, when in discharging position, within easy reach orvisual inspection of an operator.

As it will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the improveddevice of this invention anpertains that numerous changes and widelydifferent embodiments of the invention may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that the embodimentshown in the drawings and the description thereof shall be interpretedas illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Reference is therefore tobe had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of theinvention.

I claim:

1. A drying and tumbling apparatus comprising, a body having an openingtherein, closure means for said opening, an endless belt conveyoroperably mounted therein so that articles placed thereon may be carriedfrom one end toward the other, motor means for driving said conveyor,means for controlling the operation of said motor means, duct meansdisposed to direct a flow of air to remove articles from one end portionof the conveyor and deposit them on the opposite end portion of saidconveyor, and means for movin said conveyor toward a vertical positionadjacent the opening for the discharge of said articles.

2. The structure of claim 1, including driving means connecting saidclosure and said conveyor and operable for moving said closureconcurrently with the movement of said conveyor.

3. The structure of claim 1, including driving means connecting saidclosure and said conveyor whereby the movement of the conveyor fromoperating to discharge positions moves the closure from the closedposition to a substantially hori zontal position for the reception ofthe articles to be discharged.

4. The structure of claim 1, including means for stopping the travel ofthe conveyor as it approaches the discharge position.

5. The structure of claim 1, wherein said endless belt is pervious andincluding means for directing a flow of air through articles on saidpervious conveyor, and means for heating said air.

6. The structure of claim 1, including means for creating said flow ofair.

7. The structure of claim 1, including means for creating said flow ofair and additional means for heating said flow of air.

8. The structure of claim 1, including means for stopping the flow ofair as the conveyor approaches the discharge position.

HARRY D. FORSE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 490,171 Spencer Jan. 17, 1893605,025 Spencer May 31, 1898 709,966 Curtiss Sept. 30, 1902 1,133,208Winkler Mar. 23, 1915 1,169,682 Sargent Jan. 25, 1916 1,445,078 FreemanFeb. 13, 1923 1,476,424 Sargent Dec. 4, 1923 1,543,525 Shiras Jan. 23,1925 1,567,709 Carroll Dec. 29, 1925 1,641,716 Welles Sept. 6, 19271,720,537 Barthel et a1 July 9, 1929 1,778,318 4 Haas Oct. 14, 19301,791,054 Dalton Feb. 3, 1931 1,800,228 Peirce Apr. 14, 1931 1,881,974Skitt Oct. 11, 1932 1,907,089 Pabst, Jr May 2, 1933 2,045,813 WaterburyJune 30, 1936 2,101,417 Waldvogel Dec. 7, 1937 12,253,047 Purkett Aug.19, 1941 2,348,631 Keehnel May 9, 1944 2,397,091 Davis Mar. 26, 1946FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 7,092 Australia Apr. 22, 1932

